Paintball Gun Injuries

“It’s a toy, right?”

Far from it. Unfortunately many children have suffered permanent vision loss due to this common misperception. At Law Office of Joseph C. Borsellino, LLC, in Dedham our experienced lawyers know, because we have successfully handled paintball gun injury cases brought by anguished parents on behalf of their children who have lost vision after being shot in the eye with a paintball fired by a paintball gun in the hands of another child.

The paintball gun may appear harmless, often sharing the same color schemes as water guns and super-soakers. Our attorneys know that the reality is if the warnings and manufacturer’s recommendations were viewed by parents, most would not allow their children to use a paintball gun or be in the vicinity where one was being used unless stringent safety precautions were adhered to such as protective goggles, mask, thick/padded clothing, etc., which are routinely required at established commercial paintball facilities. Our lawyers know that backyard paintball play is usually a recipe for disaster. Paintball guns are often powered by pressurized CO2 [carbon dioxide] cartridges which as a result propel the discharged paintball at high velocity, speeds of about 200 m.p.h. or around 300 feet (length of a football field) per second are common. Paintball gun injuries result from the paintball projectile impacting the victim at such high velocity. Some hardcore paintball players even put their paintballs in their home freezer to solidify in advance of play which can lead to traumatic results when fired.

Although injury to the eye is the most common wound caused by paintball guns, people have suffered concussion, ruptured eardrums, hearing loss and a few have even died when the pressurized CO2 canister detached from the paintball gun and struck a user in the head.

As experienced attorneys we understand that some big box retailers consider paintball guns restricted items and have enacted policies prohibiting paintball gun sales to minors just as stores do for cigarettes and alcohol. The age restriction for sale of a paintball gun is a clear recognition that the item poses hazards for those not yet mature enough to appreciate the dangers that its use entails. If your child has been injured in a paintball shooting, call us.

Please call us at 781-329-9500 or use our contact form. Get your free legal consultation today with an attorney from Law Office of Joseph C. Borsellino, LLC